Our goal is to accelerate San Francisco’s revival as a culturally vibrant, economically robust, and livable city for all. We seek opportunities that complement government and private sector revitalization efforts, build on our community’s existing assets and strengths, and are likely to produce near-term and tangible results.
Tim the Optimist Mural, San Francisco 4/27/22" by Sharon Mollerus, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
We will use three lenses to focus potential investment—Artistic & Cultural Experiences, Neighborhood Businesses, and Livable Environments—and welcome creative approaches that bridge these areas. We anticipate a diverse portfolio of grants in support of nonprofit organizations and projects, ranging from cultural initiatives, to efforts targeting the independent business sector, to plans for reanimating shared public spaces. Objectives could include:
- Cross-Cutting Initiatives. Exploring “multiplier effect” initiatives that energize public spaces, attract residents and visitors to support nearby businesses, and generate income for local artists; extending or scaling successful pilot projects.
- Creative Corridors. Development and maintenance of cultural zones and hubs that serve as focal points for artistic activity, providing spaces for performance, exhibition, production, and community engagement; fostering mutually beneficial partnerships between cultural organizations and other sectors such as economic development, public health, and safety.
- Public Programming. Ensuring a dynamic mix of fairs, farmers and crafts markets, cultural festivals, performances, educational workshops, amateur sports gatherings, pop-up events, and other activities designed to draw people to public areas and create opportunities for interaction across demographic and social groups; supporting organizations that offer continuous programming to keep public spaces dynamic and engaging.
- Small Business Supports. Sustaining projects or organizations that incubate and support independent businesses, such as those providing micro-grants to minority and women entrepreneurs to help them start, expand, or stabilize operations; training, workshop, and mentorship programs that provide ongoing guidance and resources for entrepreneurs; shared resource programs to reduce startup and operating costs.
- Placemaking Initiatives. Enhancements to the aesthetic and functional quality of public spaces; repurposing/activation of existing spaces; adapting spaces to serve specific and diverse populations—e.g., families, seniors, sports enthusiasts—and to attract foot traffic to business districts; preservation and promotion of districts that are home to culturally diverse businesses.
- Community Activation. Promoting resident-led programs that foster a sense of ownership and responsibility, e.g., safety, clean-up/beautification, mural-making, recycling, wellness; sustaining community organizations, neighborhood associations, libraries, and civic engagement initiatives that activate community members to co-create solutions; artist-led community projects that engage local residents, foster social cohesion, and sustain the diverse cultural fabric of San Francisco.
"A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams."
~ Herb Caen
"Herb Caen, SF" by Nancy Wong, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons